You can manage Alzheimer’s with hypertension more easily by working with your provider to adjust your medications and routines.
Ask How to Simplify Your Medication Regimen
Keeping track of medications can get confusing quickly. “If you’re even taking three or four medications, it gets to be overwhelming to keep track of them,” says Nicholas Doher, DO, a neurologist specializing in memory and cognitive disorders with Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. It’s easy to make mistakes, Dr. Doher says.
- Prepackaged medications prepared by your pharmacy
- A pill organizer, which you can prefill with your caregiver
- “Smart” pill dispensers, which can set alarms and record when medications are taken
Discuss Your Blood Pressure Goals
When treating hypertension alongside Alzheimer’s, your target blood pressure may look different from standard goals or goals you may have had previously.
“Overly aggressive lowering may reduce blood flow to the brain from low blood pressure, worsen cognitive symptoms, and increase confusion,” says Etienne.
Monitor Medication Side Effects
- Fatigue
- Confusion
- Weakness
- Lightheadedness
- Dizziness and fainting
- Head, neck, or back pain
- Heart palpitations
- Blurry vision
- Nausea
Check Your Blood Pressure at Home
A home blood pressure cuff can offer valuable insight and emotional relief when you aren’t sure how your body is responding to your medication. Doher recommends checking blood pressure at home once a week to twice a day, depending on your symptoms, recent medication changes, and what your provider tells you.
Don’t go overboard and check it every hour, says Doher. “Something like once or twice a day is — for the vast majority of people — going to be more than enough.”